Never Let You Go
by Diabetic.T1
Summary: One-shot set during season 3. It's Christmas time and Elena realizes her feelings for Damon. "I'm not Stefan," he warned gravely. His words were blunt and directing; making sure that Elena knew what he was saying. "I don't go slow. Once you're mine I'm not letting you go." "Take anything you want, Damon," she whispered huskily in his ear.


**Author's Note: So this is a one shot that I've been working on. Please review because this is my first time writing a one shot like this. Also, there are a few things you're going to need to know for this: one, it takes place during season three. Two, it's after Stefan tried to drive Elena over Wickery Bridge. Three, I'm just completely forgetting that Damon kills Bonnie's mom. Some things will seem out of order, but it's my one shot so I can write it however I like. :)**

* * *

"I can't believe it's just over," Caroline said with a sigh. She sank down onto the sofa and accepted the glass tumbler Tyler offered.

"We still have Klaus to deal with…and his crazy family…and Jeremy's still seeing ghosts…and Bonnie's power is kind of touchy right now…not to mention we have Rebekah's dead body in our basement still," Stefan said with a crooked smile. He was still coming down from his bloodlust, but he had switched over to his bunny diet since his wickery bridge experience with Elena.

"And here I thought you were supposed to be the positive brother," Damon muttered with an eye roll. He was standing near the fireplace with his own glass tumbler filled to the brim.

Somehow the whole Scooby gang was crammed into his parlor. First it was just him and Elena sitting by the fire. He had one of his favorite books—although he wouldn't let anyone see him reading unless they were Elena—and she was sitting with her back against the arm rest and her legs in his lap absentmindedly.

It had been exactly three weeks and two days since they kissed. His lips were aching for hers. Damon thought for a split second that tonight would be their second kiss. The timing was proving to be perfect. Elena finally saw just how far Stefan would go to push Klaus—risking her life in the process on the bridge that has haunted her since her parents' death—and now she was finally opening herself up to the idea that it is time to move on.

But then Stefan had to come down from brooding in his room, Alaric and Jeremy showed up next, and then Bonnie, who was the last person Damon expected to see in his parlor showed up. Caroline and Tyler came next with Matt following close behind. They were all there, drinking his booze, filling his ears with useless talk about things Damon couldn't care less about, and the whole time Damon could only see Elena who was now sitting by Jeremy in the middle of the couch.

"But Klaus' creepy father is gone," Caroline cheered. "And so is that blonde Barbie! I say we won!"

Caroline threw her glass in the air for a cheer and it wasn't long before Bonnie gave in and cheered with her friend, the guys slowly moved to clink glasses and Damon noticed that even Elena was smiling softly and joining her friends. She turned to Damon with her big eyes and he prayed to whatever God that would listen that Elena wouldn't use her big doe eyes on him. He didn't want her to bat her eye lashes, but fuck, when she did it he went weak.

"Cheers, Damon," she whispered just for him. She held her glass towards him and he caved.

"Cheers," he mumbled before hitting his glass lightly with hers.

Stefan saw the exchange between his brother and ex girlfriend and frowned. He wasn't ignorant. He knew that Damon and Elena had grown close over his absence, but he still believed that he and Elena could save their relationship.

"Oh!" The blonde exclaimed. "I know what we can play! Truth or dare!"

A bunch of moans and groans could be heard throughout the room.

"I don't think that's appropriate considering I'm still your teacher…and it's a little creepy." Alaric was standing at the archway of the room. Not technically all the way inside, but not outside either. He figured someone had to be the responsible one in the room and so he had no choice but to stay.

"Fine," Caroline huffed.

Jeremy went to get more alcohol, but Elena put her hand on his to stop him. "What are you doing, Jere?"

"Getting more to drink?" He asked more than stated. He already had one tumbler filled with Damon's alcohol. He didn't know why Elena was stopping him now.

"I don't think so. You're even more underage than us. One is the limit."

"What?" He spluttered. The young boy looked at Damon who shrugged with a lazy smile.

"Listen to your sister, Gilbert. There's kid soda in the kitchen."

"Suck up," Jeremy muttered loud enough for the whole room to hear. Damon just smirked and took Jeremy's seat. He leaned back and put his arm around Elena's shoulders so casually. Everyone noticed when she moved closer and let her head rest against Damon's arm.

"You know, you scolding Jeremy kind of reminds me of two years ago, during sophomore year. I think that was the most embarrassing Christmas for Elena," Matt said.

Bonnie's eyes lit up. "Oh my God! I forgot about that night! She was a mess."

Elena's eyes went wide and she burrowed herself into the couch.

"What Christmas was that? And why don't I remember it?" Tyler asked.

"Because you were visiting your grandparents in New York, and we were all left behind for another founders parties thrown by your mother. It was definitely interesting," Caroline explained.

Jeremy walked back into the room with a cup full of cola. "Are we talking about the founders party where Elena announced to everyone that she was drunk and then she fell over…while on camera?"

"Who knew you were such an alcoholic?" Damon teased as his lips lowered to Elena's ear intimately. They looked like two lovers snuggling on the couch as Elena hid her bright red face in Damon's side and his face was cuddling against hers.

"It wasn't my fault! Caroline got me drunk and how was I supposed to know that Jeremy would be filming everything with his new camera?" Elena defended herself. When she faced her friends against she wished her face wasn't so red, but it still was.

"So it was a couple days after Christmas, the Lockwoods were throwing this huge party for some benefit, and Caroline and Elena decided to break into Sheriff Forbe's stash of hard liquor," Matt recapped with a huge smile on his face.

"I was depressed because my stupid date to this party bailed on me that morning and so Elena came over to console me. We got dressed up in these hot dresses. Mine was red for Christmas while Elena wore black…now that I think about it, you wear a lot of black," Caroline said to Elena. "Why is that?"

"I don't know Care. I don't really remember why I chose the dresses I did from two years ago," Elena humored her friend.

"Anyways," Caroline continued dramatically. "We got ready and then Elena found the alcohol. We drank for two hours, and Elena was totally smashed while I was smart enough to switch to water after thirty minutes. When we arrived I had to keep Elena outside so I could call and warn Bonnie and Matt."

"Elena couldn't miss the event or else her parents would have been suspicious and of course we couldn't let them see her drunk. Elena was the golden girl," Bonnie said. "Although I think you've lost that title since all the supernatural stuff happened," Bonnie mused.

"Golden girl?" Stefan asked.

"She was the girl everyone loved. All the parents thought highly of her while everyone at school wanted to be with her or date her. Come on Stefan, you have to have heard locker room talk about her," Caroline complained.

"Even I have heard things about my sister that no brother should ever have to hear," Jeremy complained. "I _so_ do not need to hear how doable she is. Or how she can do the splits while cheering. I don't want to know anything like that."

"I think we should get back to the story unless it involves any more locker room talk," Alaric mumbled. He was so glad he didn't have to handle Elena and Jeremy when they were just starting high school. They seemed like double trouble.

"Our plan was to keep Elena at one of our sides, never let her talk unless she was supposed to say _hi_ and then get her out of there after an hour," Bonnie said. "No one was expecting Jeremy to be filming everyone there!"

"And we were almost succeeding. Caroline was keeping all the attention on herself as I escorted Elena around," Matt announced proudly. "Until the ceremony started and Elena's mother came up to us. Elena never told anyone that she was supposed to reveal the money amount our town raised and then make a short speech."

"I like where this is headed," Damon smirked with mirth.

"Elena was the only one up on the stage, and instead of saying something intelligible, she announces by yelling at everyone that she's drunk. She told everyone how I got stood up and so we broke into my mom's liquor cabinet, and then before she can say anything else, she pukes on everyone standing in the front row."

"I still have the video," Jeremy says proudly. "I'm waiting for her wedding to play it again."

Everyone continued sharing stories left and right. Christmas was right around the corner and so most of the stories revolved around the holiday times, but some stories were just for the sake of embarrassing people. Even Alaric shared a story that everyone laughed at. Elena was laughing and giggling, feeling a little tipsy, but confused when Damon got up and left the room silently.

She made sure no one was watching, being too absorbed with the stories and booze to notice her follow the older vampire.

"Hey," she said quietly as she found Damon in the Salvatore kitchen, looking out a window that led to the backyard. She walked up to him and saw the snow lying evenly over the pristine grass. "It's beautiful out there."

"Yeah," Damon agreed solemnly. He looked at Elena with a twinkle in his dark blue eyes. "It's also beautiful in here too."

Elena blushed again and got caught in Damon's gaze as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear for her. "Thank you," she nearly stuttered; surprised by Damon's simple caress. Her eyes flickered down to his lips, but she quickly looked away as she noticed Damon staring again.

"Are you going to tell me one of your scarring stories or am I going to have to ask Stefan to tell some of your secrets?" Elena teased to ease the sexual tension in the room. She moved around the kitchen island so that it was separating them.

Damon slowly walked towards her, but at a slow, precise pace. His moves were deliberate and he enjoyed hearing Elena's heartbeat pick up.

"I don't get embarrassed that easily." He had her backed up so that her back was against the fridge. Both of his hands landed on either side of her head, effectively caging her in. She licked her lips nervously. "I don't regret my actions. I never have and I never will. If you're going to do something then embracing it is better than being embarrassed by it."

Damon leaned his head in closer so his nose grazed Elena's cheek. He breathed her in and took satisfaction in hearing Elena's small pants and gasps of surprise and pleasure. She made his body feel as if he were on fire. Whenever their skin touched he felt electricity.

"Tell me something, Elena," his voice caressed her to the core. "Are you embarrassed by our kiss or will you embrace it with me?"

Damon pulled back slightly to look into Elena's stunned eyes. Her mouth was partially open as her hands had moved to his lean hips during their intimate moment. Her fingers were slightly playing with the hem of his black shirt; feeling his hard skin covered by the soft fabric.

"Damon, I want—"

"There you two are," Bonnie said, but froze in her spot as she looked up with wide eyes. The two empty cups she was holding in her hands fell to the floor. Another set of footsteps started to come closer and Damon used his vampire speed to move towards the other end of the kitchen island. "Stefan, don't come in…" Bonnie trailed off as Stefan walked into the kitchen. "…here."

Stefan's green eyes looked hurt as he first looked down at the cups on the floor, to Damon who was smirking with cold blue eyes, and then to Elena who was still frozen against the fridge. Bonnie had a different look on her face. She didn't like Damon. She could barely stand the vampire. It upset her because she could see her friend falling for Damon more and more each day while Caroline was even starting to like Damon too. Bonnie felt like the odd man out.

Elena straightened out the dress she was wearing and cleared her throat. "I'm going back into the parlor. I'm sure there are more stories to be told."

Elena entered the room first and Caroline gave her a questioning look. Elena smiled slightly at her and Caroline understood that the look meant that they had to talk later. Caroline had started being Elena's go-to person ever since she realized she might have feelings for Damon at the beginning of the school year. She even talked to Caroline the previous year when she knew that Bonnie wouldn't be able to handle the truth of her feelings and affection towards the vampire.

Bonnie came back next with two cups filled with soda, and then Stefan and Damon followed close behind. Both brothers had straight faces on and Elena noticed that when Damon sat down by her again he grimaced at Bonnie.

No one else seemed to notice the tension between the four as Elena could tell Matt and Tyler were becoming drunk fast. It didn't take long for the party to die down. Caroline offered to drive Matt and Tyler home because of their incapacity, Alaric and Jeremy followed shortly, and before Bonnie left she gave Elena a pointed look.

"Can we talk?" She asked Elena in a stern voice. "Alone," she stressed.

Elena nodded her head and stood up to follow Bonnie outside. She grabbed her pea coat and slipped it on over her blue dress.

"I think that's our cue to head upstairs, brother," Damon directed without room for argument.

Elena looked behind herself to see Damon's retreating back heading up the stairs. She frowned, wondering what happened in the kitchen the moment she left. She didn't have time to think about it though as she followed one of her best friends outside and stuck her hands in her pockets to stay warm.

"I'm just going to be blunt instead of beating around the bush," Bonnie said. She kept her back turned towards Elena so she didn't see Elena furrow her brows in confusion. "How could you be with _him_…with that monster?" Bonnie seethed.

"Bonnie, I don't know what you're talking about. Yes, Damon and I are closer, but—"

"But nothing! Have you forgotten what he is? What he's done to everyone in this town?" Bonnie turned around and Elena was surprised to see tears in her friend's eye, but then realization dawned on Elena that they were tears of anger and not sadness. This upset Elena and her hidden hands balled up into fists at how Bonnie was judging her.

"You're so into judging him but what about everyone else? You're all for Stefan and I getting back together but he's done terrible things too! Why doesn't Damon get a pass like everyone else in this town? I've done bad things, Tyler and Caroline, Ric, and even Jeremy too. We have all had to make difficult decisions and you seemed perfectly comfortable working with Damon when you had to fake your own death," Elena retaliated.

"He killed Vicki," Bonnie ticked off on her finger, stepping closer to Elena to shove her fingers in her face. "He then turned Vicki, used Caroline, was so obsessed with Katherine that he was willing to do anything to get her back, kidnapped you and brought you to Atlanta, force fed you his blood _twice_! He killed my grandma."

Elena narrowed her eyes. "I get it, Bo—"

"Not to mention he kissed you after the parade, but luckily it was Katherine, and he snapped Jeremy's neck! He killed your brother!"

"I get it!" Elena screeched. "You hate him. You loathe him. You want to pop every blood vessel in his brain. You can't wait until he's gone and out of your life. I know Bonnie. I have heard you time and time again, but I don't care." Elena laughed the moment she revealed her secret. She sounded like a crazy person as she started talking to herself and pacing. "Oh my God, I just don't care. I don't care anymore and that makes things so much easier."

"What are you talking about?" Bonnie demanded.

"I think you need to leave. There's something I have to do." Elena turned to go back inside, but the moment she put her hand on the door knob Bonnie's voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

"I swear to God, Elena, if you go upstairs to Damon then I won't be your friend anymore. I can't be your friend."

Bonnie's words hung in the air. The dark skinned girl thought she reached Elena. She thought her best friend would turn around and apologize for her crazy phase, and then all would be forgotten. They could forget about everything that had happen, but she gasped in surprise and hurt as Elena pushed open the front door and shut it without looking back.

* * *

"I was waiting for the claws to come out," Damon spoke with his back turned towards Elena. He didn't need to face her to know it was her in his doorway. He heard the whole fight, the tears in Bonnie's eyes, the threat the witch made, and the strong action Elena took. She shut the front door without hesitation and for a moment Damon was proud, and then reality hit him.

He didn't even have the girl. All he had was a drinking problem, a killing problem, and a girl who controlled him like a puppet without even knowing it. No matter what happened, he was going to somehow mess this up. They weren't even in an intimate relationship yet, but he was going to mess it up. He already was. Elena Gilbert was down one friend and she would surely lose more if they ever started dating.

"Honestly?" Elena asked with a small sniffle. "I was ready for that too."

"Well," Damon took a sip from his glass tumbler and decided to just finish the amber liquid. "I'm sure witchy was just too tired after frying my brain in the kitchen."

"She did what?" Elena demanded angrily, but Damon wasn't fooled. He wouldn't turn around. He couldn't turn around. He heard her sniffle, and he could only guess that her brown eyes that ruined him would be filled with tears. "She had no right. How can she just pass judgment like that? Like she's better than us! She's the one sleeping with my brother and do I give her grief about it? No! She should cut me some slack. It's not as if anything's going on with us yet except for that kiss. And really, if I could fry someone's brain cells then I would definitely fry hers sometimes because—"

"Elena!" Damon chuckled as he finally caught her attention. He had to turn around and was now standing in front of her. Her face was beat red from getting frustrated, her small hands were balled into fists, and her hip was cocked. A scowl was on her beautiful face, but Damon was smiling.

"Are you actually smiling right now? And great, now you're laughing! Laughing, really?"

"Elena," he tried again. He put both hands on her upper arms and then slowly his hands slid up and cupped around her neck. This embrace was almost the same position Elena had him in after he had his meltdown and she told him that they would have to leave Stefan behind. "She's your best friend. You don't mean what you're saying right now."

Elena pursed her lips. "Of course I do. She's my best friend so I'm allowed to fry her brain. She'd have to forgive me just like I would forgive her."

"You also let something else slip out in your rant," Damon pointed out slowly. "You said there's nothing going on with us _yet_." Damon looked down at Elena and noticed that she no longer was in her mode to yell and scream anymore. "Can I let you go now and you promise to behave?"

"Don't let me go," Elena murmured. "Please, don't let me go." Elena's hands reached up and trailed along Damon's arms. She stepped closer to him and smiled as his bright blue eyes turned dark right before her eyes. They flashed an unspoken danger that Elena always knew lurked behind Damon's personality. "You asked me whether I was embarrassed or if I could embrace what we shared? Let me show you."

And then Elena's hands were gripping onto Damon's face, sliding into his hair and tugging at the strands, pulling him closer. This kiss wasn't like the kiss on her front porch. It wasn't soft and short like in Damon's bed when he was bitten by Tyler. This kiss was raw, rough, and demanding.

Her body pushed itself against Damon's hard torso, knocking him back by surprise so he was pressed against one of the bed posts. His mouth didn't respond to her right away, the shock and confusion clouding his actions, but once Elena's tongue darted out to enter his mouth Damon stared to respond and take control.

Using vampire speed, Elena was thrown onto her back, hitting the soft mattress that was Damon's bed. The sheets rumpled beneath her as Damon straddled her and pulled her up so his mouth could claim hers. His fingers wound themselves around her hair, controlling her head angle so he could dominate her. There was no room for Elena to take control anymore as her legs wrapped around his waist and his hard groin pressed itself against her. She grinded against him shamelessly and threw her head back once she felt his lips traveling along her jaw and then her neck.

The moment her shaky fingers started unbuttoning Damon's shirt he pulled back. Dark blue eyes met warm brown eyes. Their breathing matched and mingled in the air as their chests heaved from exertion.

"You get the picture, right?" Elena breathed out. "Or do I have to show you again?"

Damon's eyes were glazed over with lust, wonder and hope. It had taken him a moment to realize what Elena was doing when her lips collided with his, but when he did respond there was no stopping him.

"I'm not Stefan," he warned gravely. His words were blunt and directing; making sure that Elena knew what he was saying. "I don't go slow. Once you're mine I'm not letting you go."

Elena smiled and bit her lower lip. His words made something in her lower belly ache with need. Her hands pushed his shirt off his arms and once the offending material was discarded she pulled her dress over her head, leaving herself in only black panties and a lacy black bra.

Damon licked his bottom lip, his eyes scanning her body that was still practically sitting in his lap, and his smirk chilled Elena to the bone. She should have felt intimidated or threatened by the way she felt like prey, but she didn't. She welcomed the new feeling.

"Take anything you want, Damon," she whispered huskily in his ear. She was never this daring with Stefan, but with Stefan all she felt like was vanilla. Everything was so plain and straight to the point. He couldn't handle foreplay that much because of his bloodlust, but Elena had a feeling that Damon got off on foreplay. He loved playing with his food.

Elena let her warm breath caress Damon's ear before she gave it a tug with her blunt teeth. "Take me," she offered.

Elena was on her back before she could pull away. She asked and now he was delivering. Damon had a sinister smile on face as he held her hands above her head with only one of his. He was strong and he was proving to Elena who exactly was in charge.

She thought he was going to kiss her, and whined in disappointment as his mouth turned at the last minute to nip at her earlobe. She felt him smirk against her heated skin before licking at the delicate spot behind her ear.

"Scared?" His voice dripped with sex and control.

He pulled back to look into her wide eyes. Should she be scared? Yes. She definitely should go running for the hills. But she shook her head without thinking. This was Damon. She knew him better than anyone. He protected the ones he cared about. He hid his true feelings if they made him seem weak and vulnerable. He would do anything to protect her because he was in love with her.

"Never," she hissed as his hard erection rubbed against her soaked panties.

"That makes you incredibly stupid," he chided before their lips bruised against one another. This time Elena didn't let Damon push her back against the mattress. Her hands broke his grip when he was distracted and they tugged roughly on his raven locks before moving down his body to flick open the button on his jeans.

Damon groaned in pleasure as her hand snaked in and stroked his manhood.

"You're playing with fire, Elena," Damon scolded lightly. With a flick of the wrist her bra was ripped in the front and Damon was flinging it across the room. She was ready to scold him on his brash movement but when his teeth clamped down on one of her perk nipples she moaned out her frustration.

When Elena went back to Damon's room that night she wasn't expecting to have sex with him. She expected to kiss and maybe fight and then kiss some more, but she definitely wasn't expecting to be devoured by him. If this was only the start of their relationship then she knew they were moving astronomically fast. She could only wonder just how much faster they could move.

After switching breasts and then moving down her body, Damon looked up at her right when his mouth came into contact with her lacy panties. His eyes were menacing as one of his long fingers teased her by slowly sliding under the material.

His nose ran along the hem and he closed his eyes in pleasure. "You smell absolutely divine." His mouth traveled back up to her lips and Elena's breath hitched in her throat. Not once had someone described her like a piece of food and she found it incredibly hot. "I can't wait to devour you whole."

"So do it," she challenged boldly.

His teeth tugged at her lower lip seductively. "All in good time. But right now," Elena didn't even realize her underwear was taken from her until she saw Damon drop the garment on the side of the bed, "I can't wait any longer to be inside of you. You're ready and wet."

His finger skimmed her moist lips and she nearly buckled underneath him. "Damon," she whimpered. Elena didn't know when he did it but he wasn't wearing his jeans or his briefs anymore. His erection was rubbing dangerously close to her waiting core and Elena shut her eyes in bliss.

"Don't close your eyes," he instructed. Their fingers laced together above Elena's head, her eyes opened and focused only on Damon and the way he made her feel alive, and his lean hips pressed into hers. He swallowed her moan with a forced kiss and they both came alive the moment Damon was fully settled in her.

Damon knew he wasn't going to last long with the feeling of Elena wrapped around him so tight; especially since he had been waiting for this moment since the time he thought he kissed her on the porch for the first time. There was no space left between them as her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer until he filled her to the brim. Their hands were holding each other, supporting one another so they would fall together.

Their gazes held one another as they moved together. Bodies pressed against one another, sweat mingled as lips touched delicately. All their actions seemed to move at slow motion as Elena let her mind and body feel everything. She shivered when one of Damon's hands moved down her body, tracing her figure and outlining every shape on her. She met him thrust for thrust as his pace increased and soon she couldn't keep up with his vampire speed. Her free hand reached up and grasped onto the headboard for support as their bodies bruised and used one another.

They were doing everything together, taking and receiving like lovers who were reunited after long years of being apart. Still, Elena felt like she needed more as Damon's body covered her own.

"I need," she panted and trailed off as Damon continued to push further into her. She had never felt this full before, but still she was greedy with need as tonight was her and Damon's night. Nothing was going to ruin it.

"What do you need?" He murmured in her ear.

"I need more." She placed her nails on his back and dug in when he hit a particularly sensitive part of her. She felt like he wasn't close enough even though he couldn't get any closer. His whole torso was covering her to the point where Damon thought he was possibly hurting her, but Elena still pulled him tighter and gripped him harder. Her nails raked down his back and when his mouth claimed hers again he smelled the hint of blood.

Either Elena didn't know she cut him with her nails or she didn't care; either way Damon didn't mind. It turned him on even more and he knew it was only a matter of thrusts before he would let go and fall over the edge. He was determined to bring Elena with him.

As his tongue pressed into Elena's moist mouth his hand reached down and pressed on her bundle of nerves. Within two more thrusts they both went spiraling over. Crashing into one another, Damon didn't let go of her and Elena didn't want him too. He didn't want to crush Elena, but she gave him no choice as she pulled him down and ran her bloody finger nails through his strands of hair that were sticking up in places that only meant he had been thoroughly fucked good.

Damon laid his head down on Elena's heaving chest. As they both fell to the floor and their high was coming down Damon took the time to actually hear Elena's heartbeat. It wasn't just beating fast. It was running a marathon, thrashing around like a wild stallion. Their skins meshed together through blood and sweat but she didn't seem to mind and Damon knew that he didn't mind one bit.

Her fingers continued to stroke his locks, rub his head, and massage his scalp all while holding him close. If he had to use Elena's naked chest as a pillow every night then he wouldn't complain. It was her shiver that had Damon moving from his spot. He reached blindly until he found the opening to his covers and blankets and wrapped them up like a package.

Elena murmured her thanks as they had to change positions now. She was cuddled up in his side, her eyes drooping shut from pure exhaustion and Damon just held her. He watched as her arm wrapped around his waist and her leg tangled itself around his. She was locking him into place as she used his chest as a pillow. Damon didn't mind that her hair was all over the place and tickling his skin. He didn't care that her skin was radiating body heat even though she always complained that she was cold. He also didn't care that her heartbeat was constantly beating. That was his favorite sound even though that was all his ears could hear and it would surely keep him up all night if it beat any louder.

He thought she was asleep when he leaned down and placed a quiet kiss to Elena's forehead. "I'm not letting you go," he whispered his promise and held her closer; shutting his eyes for just a minute.

"I'm not going anywhere," she whispered back before squeezing him in a half hug. She pressed her face against his torso and smiled before drifting off to sleep.

This was definitely Damon's favorite time of year.

* * *

**Review Please!**


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